Prayer for the Day

by Revd Canon David White

12th October 2025 - 17th Sunday after Trinity

God our Father, Lord of the church,
We thank you for calling Sarah Mullally to be our new Archbishop.
We thank you for her willingness to respond to your call,
and pray that you would pour upon her
 the strength, wisdom and vision that she needs as she leads and serves us.
May we in turn commit to praying for Archbishop of Canterbury-designate
Sarah and her family, that you would bless and protect them,
and enable your church to walk together under her leadership in grace, unity and love.
We ask this through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

On Friday, 3rd October, His Majesty the King confirmed the nomination of the Right Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, presently Bishop of London, as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. She gave her first address from Canterbury Cathedral and spent the morning visiting a number of community projects in the Canterbury Diocese.

Of the many prayers being offered for the new Archbishop, this one, from the Diocese of Oxford, is perhaps one of the most rounded and perspicacious. The first part is concerned with the Church and offers thanksgiving to God for calling her to this difficult role and task, and for her response, her ‘yes’. It then asks that she be given the strength, wisdom and vision needed to fulfil all that lies ahead.

The second part of the prayer is more personal and asks that we too be committed to her and her family – in our prayers and in our support as we walk together and face all that is happening in society and in our world at this time. In this new leadership role she will encounter many pressures and responsibilities and our care for her wellbeing is important – just as in God’s eyes the wellbeing of each of us is important too.